Car-coupling.



F. H. WENDT.

CAR COUPLING.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT.8,19111 Patented Dec. 31, 1912.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

W MM Wily wows Gum;

o. WASHINGTON, n. c.

F. H. WENDT.

- GAR COUPLING.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. s, 1911.

Patented Dec.31,1912.

3 SEEETS-SHEET 2.

P. H. WENDT.

Patented Dec. 31, 1912.

3 SHEBTS-SHBET 3.

auveuloz UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRED H. WENDI, OF MARSHFIELD, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-THIRD TO ELICROTTEAU, OIE MARSHFIELD, WISCONSIN.

CAR-COUPLING.

Application filed September 8, 1911.

To (17/ whom it may concern.

Be it known that i. From H. VENDT, citizen of the llnitedStates,i'esidi11g at Marshtield. in the county of Wood and State of\Yisconsin, have invented certain new and useful linprovenients inCar-Couplers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in car couplers of the automaticand safety type, and hasfor (he of its objects to improve theconstruction and increase the efficiency and utility of devices of thischaracter.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of this characterwith improved locking and unlocking means; and to provide means formaintaining the couplers in locked relation in event of the breakage ofa knucklepin.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of this characterwherein means are provided for preventing the drawhead and draftbar fromdropping to the track in event. of the breakage of the drawbar or itsholding means.

Another object of the invention is to produce a device of this characterwherein means are provided for forcing the knuckle wide open andoperating the releasing mechanism by one movement of a lever.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of this characterwhereby the coupling action is accomplished without producing jars andconcussions and whereby the locking action accomplished when the partsare moved with a slow or rapid movement or whether the impact is heavyor light.

A nother object of the invention is to provide an improved double actingreleasing and setting mechanism which is located in convenient positioneither for operation from between the cars or from outside the cars asmay be preferred.

With these and other objects in view the invention consists in certainnovel features of construction as hereafter shown and described and thenspecifically pointed out in the claims. and in the drawing illustrativeof the preferred embodiment of the invention, Figure 1 a bottom planview of the improved device; Fig. 2 is a side elevation from theoperative side: Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1 with thecoupler Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 31, 191.

Serial No. 648,373.

arranged in operative position. Fig. 1 is a section on the line 4* ofFig. 2; Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the rock shaft whereby thelocking and releasing mechanism is actuated; Fig. 6 is a perspectiveview of the actuating arm for the knuckle throwing lever; Fig. 7 is aperspective view of the knuckle throwing lever; Fig. 8 is a detail viewof a portion of the drawhead from the operating side, and Fig. 9 is asimilar view from the opposite side, illustrating the construction.

(oi-responding and like parts are referred to in the followingdescription and indicated in all the views of the accompanying draw ingby the same reference characters.

The improved coupler embodies the usual drawbar 10 having the drawhead11, the latter having the usual pivot lugs 12 between which the knuck e.represented as a whole at 13, is pivotally supported by the usualknuckle-pin 14. The drawbar. drawhead and knuckle are of the usual formexcept that the interior of the drawhead is provided with an upwardlydirected stop lug 15 and that the knuckle 13 is provided with acorresponding rccess 16 which engages over the lug when the knuckle isin closed position. By this arrangement it will be obvious that the pullof the coupler is borne largely by the lug 15 so that the knuckleremains in operative position and will pull its full tonnage in event ofthe breakage of the knucklepin. the strain then being borne entirelybetween the lug 15 and the cavity in the knuckle.

Pivoted at 17 within the drawhead 11 is a locking block represented as awhole at 18 and triangular in outline and completely filling theinterior of the draw-head transversely and extending by its rear reducedterminal into the interior of the drawbar. The block 18 is hollow on theunder side and with a. relatively heavy transverse web 19 at the forwardside and with an opening 20 between the web 19 and the body of theblock. The opening 20 is preferably located at one side of the centerand nearest to the knucklepin side of the drawhead. the object to behereafter explained. The block 18 bears by its lower face upon thebottom of the drawhead and of the drawbar. as shown in Fig. 3. and whenin this position the outer face of the web 19 is in vertical positionand the heel portion 21 of the knuckle extends rearwardly of the forwardportion of the block when the knuckle is closed, as shown in Fig. 4. Theblock 18 thus forms the locking member whereby the knuckle 13 isretained in closed position, and when the block is caused to swing uponits pivot 17, the web carrying portion of the block will be withdrawnrearwardly from engagement with the knuckle and release the latter.Means are provided in the improved coupler for actuating the block 18and automatically looking it in open or withdrawn position. Formedthrough the bottom of the drawhead next to the drawbar is alongitudinally extending slot 22, and depending from the drawhead atopposite sides of the slot are perforated cars 23 through which a pivotpin 24 extends. Mounted to swing upon the pin 21 is an angular or bentblock-actuating lever 25, the lever extending upwardly through the slotand into the interior of the block 18 with the terminal 26 of the lever25 directed rearwardly and extending beyond the rear thinner edge of theblock and in contact therewith, as represented in Fig. By this means itwill be obvious that when the lever 25 with its extended terminal 26 isrotated upon the pin 24, the rear end of the block will be elevated andthe forward portion will be withdrawn from engagement with the knuckleand release the latter.

Pivoted at 27 to the lever 25 is a lock bar 28 having a dependingshoulder 29. The bar 28 lies with its shoulder end in engagement withthe rear side of the web 19 when the lever 25 is in withdrawn positionor with the block 18 depressed or in position to hold the knucklelocked. Then when the lever 25 is actuated to elevate the block, thelocking member 28 will be moved through the opening 20 until itsshoulder 29 engages over the edge of the web 19 and thus locks the blockin withdrawn position with the forward portion of the lock member 28protruding through the opening 20 and into the outer portion of thedrawhead. By this arrangement when the coupling action takes place andthe knuckle of the opposite or moving drawhead strikes the heel portion21 of the receiving or stationary drawhead, the knuckle of the heel ofthe receiving drawhead engages against the protruding portion of thehook 29 of the member 28 and releases the latter from the web 19 andthus permits the block 18 to drop into locking relations with theknuckle, as hereafter more fully explained.

Depending from the drawhead 11 in advance of the ears are other earsthrough which an operating rock-shaft 31 is mount ed, the rock-shaftbeing provided with a lug 32 which engages against the lower portion ofthe block-actuating lever 25 below its pivot pin 21, and thus actuatesthe lever when the shaft 31 is rotated. The shaft 31 is provided at itsinner end with a lug 33 projecting from the shaft substantially at rightangles to lug 31, and provided at its opposite ends with a transverseintegral sleeve or socket 31 to receive a suitable turning rod orhandle. Located next to the sleeve 31 is an integral collar 35 having alug 36 extending toward the opposite end of the shaft and spacedtherefrom as shown. An arm 37 is mounted for oscillation upon the shaft31 and provided with a split collar 38 and a projecting lug 39, the arm37 being likewise provided with a cavity 40 opposite the opening orsplit in the collar 38. The arm 37 with its collar 38 is designed to bemounted for oscillation upon the shaft 31. and is placed in positionthereon by passing the sleeve portion 38 over the end of the shaft, thelug 33 passing through the cavity 40, and then by turning the arm 37 fora short distance around the shaft the cavity 40 will pass over the lug32 and the arm 37 then moved to a position against the collar 3.), whenin this position the lug 39 extends into the path of the lug 36, so thatwhen the shaft 31 is rotated by a rod inserted through the sleeve 34 thelug 36 will engage the lug 39 and thus pick up the arm 37 and move itwith the shaft, the object to be hereafter explained.

Depending from the drawhead 11 at one side is a lug 41 having anaperture 42 corresponding to the body of the shaft 31 and with adownwardly directed recess 13 communicating with the aperture andthrough which the lug 32 passes when the shaft 31 is turned with the lug33 presented down wardly, and then when the shaft is rotated to presentthe lug 33 horizontally the latter will bear against the body of the lug41 and thus lock the shaft from longitudinal movement. Depending fromthe drawhead 11 at the opposite side is another lug 41 having an opening15 therethrough corresponding in diameter to the split collar 38 andwith an upwardly directed recess 46 corresponding to the recess 10 ofthe arm 37. To con nect the shaft 31 and its arm 37 through the lugs 4141, the shaft 31 with its arm 37 is turned to present the lug downwardlyand passed through the larger opening 45 and the collar 38 also passedthrough the opening 45 and the lug 33 then passed through the opening 4243, the larger lug :32 being also passed through the registeringrecesses 43 46. The shaft 31 is then rotated to bring the lug 32 intovertical position and the lug into horizontal position and bearingagainst the body of the lug 41. By this means the shaft 31 is supportedfor oscillation through the lugs 4141 and prevented from longitudinalmovement through the lugs.

Extending from the drawhead 11 at the same side as the lug 41 are twoperforated ears 47 spaced apart and with a slot in the drawhead betweenthe ears and counnunh eating with the interior of the drawhead. A pivotpin 48 extends through the ears 47 and likewise through aknuckle-throwing lever represented as a whole at 49 and provided with aslot 50 in its outer portion and extending by its inner portion throughthe slot in the drawhead and with its terminal 52 extending into therear of the heel portion 21 of the knuckle. The arm 37 i curvedlaterally and upwardly a; shown at 52 and extends through the slot 5-0of the knuckle-thawiwing mechanism, so that when the shaft 31 oscillatedthe lug 36 by en gaging against the projection 19 of the arm 37 willmove he latte and thus cau e the operation of the knuckle-throwingmember simultaneously with the rotation of the shaft. It will he notedthat the lower end of the block-actuating lever bears against the shaft31 opposite the lug 32. so that when the shaft- 31 is located with thelug standing vertically, the lower portirn c1 t r,- levcr 25 will bearagainst the hotly of t shaft 31 with the terminal 26 of the lever 25 outof action relative to the block 1%, am. without imparting motion to thelatter. \Vhen it is desired to actuate the block 18 to release theknuckle, a suitable rod is inserted in the sleeve 3- and the shaft 31turned to cause the lug to bear against the lower portion of the lever2-7 and thus elevate the block and release the knuckle. This oscillationof the shaft 31, as before stated, causes the lug 3G to pick up the arm2? h engagement with the lug 39 and thus causes the terminal 32 of themember 37 to actuate the knuckle-thrmving member 49 which causes thelatter to force the heel portion of the knuckle outwardly and disengagethe knuckle from the lug 13. At the same time that the lever 93 isactuated to release the block 18. the hook member 28 is caused to engagethe block and lock this member in open position as before described. Bythis simple arrangement the uncoupling action is accomplished by onemovement of the shaft 31.

.\t its lower end the lever 25 is provided with another aperture 53 towhich a rod or chain, indicated at it, is attached and leads rearwardlyand is coupled to some station ary portion of the frame work or body ofthe car, the rod or chain lying sutlicieutly loose to permit theoperation of the lever 93 but which will be drawn taut and thus actuatethe lever in event of the breakage of the drawhar and its attachments.By this means in event of such breakage the coupling mechanism will beautomatically actuated and the coupling members released so that thebroken drawhead will not be pulled from the 7111' and dropped to thetrack. This is an important feature of applicants device and materiallyincreases its efficiency and utility, and corresptz-ndingly increasesthe safety.

By this means it will be obvious that a complete automatic safe ycoupler is produced.

It will be noted that by imparting a relatively short rotary movement tothe rock shaft 31, the block-aetuating lever 25 will be actuated and theholding block 18 released and set" in inoperative position, through themedium of the locking hook member 28 and then by a further rotarymovement of the rock-shaft. the knucklethrowing member to wifl beactuated and the knuckle forced into wide open position. The completeoperation is thus produced by one movement of the rock-shaft which maybe continuous or intermittent as may be required by rotating the shatt.The lock member 28 is of sutlicient length so that the hook 29 does notengage over the rib 19 until after the block 18 has been elevated to asutlicicnt extent to release the knuckle, so that it is possible withthe improved apparatus to actuate the rock-shaft to a sutlicient extentto release the block, but not far enough to cause the lock member 18 to0p crate. When thus actuated, the return movement of the rock-shaft willrelease the arm 35 and cause the block 18 to drop to its former positionwithout being locked in open position. This is an important feature andenables the operator to readily control the action of the releasingmechanism. It will also be noted that when the coupler is in openposition and ready to be coupled again with the block 18 locked inreleased position, and when the knuckle of the op posing coupler engagesthe hooked terminal 99 of the lock member 28, the block is automaticallyand readily released and the coupler again locked without producing anyjar or concussion. Thus the heav 1 jars or concussions incident to theordinary coupler are entirely obviated and the lock produced by as slowan impact or movement as it is possible to impart to the moving car,while at the same time a rapid movement or impact will produce preciselythe same results as with the slow movcment. hits no damage can result ton'terchandise contained in freight cars, or unpleasant agitation orjarring to the passengers in passenger cars.

\Vhen the improved coupler is applied to passenger coaches, an arm willbe connected to the socket 84 and with a lever or other operatingappliance connected to the arm and mounted at any convenient point uponthe platform of the coach, the lever not being shown as it forms no partof the present invention.

Having thus described the invention, What is claimed as new is:

1. In a car coupler includin a drawhead and knuckle, a locking blockswingingly mounted within the drawhead and extending into the path ofthe knuckle, an operating lever arranged to actuate said block, aknuckle-throwing lever pivoted in said drawhead and extending into thepath of said knuckle, a shaft mounted for rotation beneath said drawheadand provided with a lug engaging said operating lever and having alateral lug, and an arm arranged to actuate said knuckle-throwing leverand provided with a lug extending into the path of said trip lug.

2. In a car coupler including a drawhead and knuckle, a locking blockswingingly mounted within the drawhead and extending into the path ofthe knuckle, a lever arranged to actuate said block, a lever arranged tothrow said knuckle, perforated ears depending from said drawhead, ashaft mounted for rotation through said ears and having a trip lug and acam lug for engaging said block-actuating lever, and an arm loose uponsaid shaft and engaging the knuckle-throwing lever and provided with alug extending into the path of the trip lug, whereby one movement of theshaft will actuate the knuckle-throwing lever and the block-actuatinglever.

3. In a car coupler including a drawhead and knuckle, a locking blockswingingly mounted within the drawhead and extending into the path ofthe knuckle, a lever arranged to actuate said block, another leverpivoted intermediate its ends to said drawhead with one end slotted andthe other end engaging the knuckle for throwing the same, perforatedears depending from said drawhead, a shaft mounted for rotation throughsaid ears and having a trip lug and a cam lug for engagin saidblock-actuating lever, and an arm loose upon said shaft and eX- tendingat one end through the slot of the knuckle-throwing lever and providedwith a lug extending into the path of the trip lug.

In testimony whereof I ailiX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FRED H. VENDT. [11. s.] Witnesses:

G. WV. 000K, J. 0. LEE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

